To ask the Minister of Education for an update on work being done to enable every child with special educational needs to be able to access their closest suitable school.

Additional high quality provision is required to meet the year on year trend of increasing numbers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The Education Authority (EA) works with parents and schools to ensure that the individual needs of the child with SEN will be met in the closest suitable school where possible. To enable SEN placements for children and young people with SEN for September 2022, an EA cross directorate team has been put in place.

I endorsed (October) the SEN Area Planning Frameworks for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools and Special Schools. These Frameworks form part of EA’s wider Area Planning strategy and will support the future area planning of SEN provision across mainstream and standalone settings. The Frameworks will also inform a new regional Special Education Strategic Area Plan (SESAP) which will span the next Area Planning Cycle period (2022-2027).

The EA is leading on the SESAP and is currently working with a range of stakeholders, including my Department, on its development. This will be followed by a 12-week consultation exercise on the SESAP due to commence in January 2022.